Need a Halloween costume? ‘Squid Game’ suits are a to-die-for easy DIY option

Still looking for this year's Halloween costume? Well, for many, the outfits from Netflix’s runaway hit series Squid Game are becoming quite the popular option.  

For those unfamiliar with Squid Game (a rapidly dwindling number, as the show is set to become the most-watched Netflix show globally), the Korean show focuses on 456 cash-strapped individuals who agree to take part in a competition for a final prize of 45.6 billion won (about $38.4 million USD).

If you’re getting some Hunger Game vibes, you’re not wrong — the competitors soon find out that if they lose any of the simple children’s games they’re playing, they will be summarily killed.

The competitors are also wearing snazzy green tracksuits as they try to win and not die, and their handlers wear bright red jumpsuits with what look like fencing masks over their faces, shrouding their identity. You can see both suits in action in the official Netflix trailer below:

Both looks are memorable, and several clothing manufacturers are already offering versions for folks to buy. A simple search on Amazon, for example, shows a number of costumes for sale for anywhere from $19 to $50, with the guards being a bit more expensive on account of the added facemask.

If you don’t want to go into debt like the unlucky players in the series, you can also easily create your own Squid Game look. The easiest would be the competitors’ green tracksuit. To create the look, you can either repurpose that green tracksuit you happen to have or buy a presumably cheaper non-Squid Game one at the major retailer of your choice. All you need then is some fabric numbers you can stick or iron on your suit, and you’re good to go. If you want to be macabre or slightly distasteful, you could also add some fake blood to the ensemble, though that would likely prevent you from wearing the suit again once the Halloween season is over.

Photo: Youngkyu Park/Netflix

The guard costume is a bit trickier. Red jumpsuits are a bit harder to come by, and real fencing masks can go for $75 alone. If a fencing mask is too hard to find, a low-budget/easier option could be to use a black ski mask and use white duct tape on the forehead to create your circle or square. It won’t be as accurate, of course, but you’ll be able to see better and drink beverages and eat candy much more easily. You could also carry around a demonstrably fake machine gun if you wanted to, though the extra hassle and the extra uneasiness that comes with even a fake gun might not make that worth it.

There are other costume opportunities in Squid Game, of course. That murderous “Red-Light, Green-Light” doll from the first game could make a fun outfit, and only requires getting a jumper, a yellow shirt, and some white knee-high socks. Or, if you’re fancy and/or already have a silver trench coat, you could even pick up an angled mask and trick-or-treat as the sociopathic Front Man. Indeed, there are lots of costume options in Squid Game, and all of them are to die for.